Think method

In my piano lessons, one of the pieces we've been working on, as I've mentioned, is the D minor prelude and fugue from WTC II. It has proved to be a worthy vehicle for all sorts of techniques and practice methods. Hands separate and together, staccato, legato, slow, fast, conducting with one hand while playing with the other, counting aloud, playing each note twice, playing different rhythms, with pedal, without pedal ... and so on (I've probably left some out). At my lesson last week, we had worked on it for a while, and my teacher sat back and said, "You sound like you're bored with this."

I said, "Maybe you're bored."

He said, "That may be! Anyway, I want you to not play this for a week. Don't play it until you come in for your next lesson."

And so, dutiful student that I am, I followed this instruction. I did practice mentally and look at the score (I even made a copy of it and took it on vacation with me). At my lesson yesterday, we were wrapping things up and I reminded him that I was supposed to play this on a recital in a few weeks, so I pulled out the music and played it for him. And you know, it was much better! Not sure how that worked.

Maybe like this?